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Dear
Friend,
Happy
holidays
and
best
wishes
in
the
New
Year!
Here’s
what
Peter
was
up
to
in
Congress
in
November
and
December.
Over
11,000
Vermonters
Participate
in
Peter’s
Telephone
Town
Hall
Meeting
Peter
hosted
a
live,
statewide
Telephone
Town
Hall
Meeting
on
the
evening
of
November
29
to
hear
from
Vermonters
about
their
hopes,
concerns
and
priorities
as
a
new
President
and
Congress
take
office
in
January.
More
than
11,000
Vermonters
participated
in
at
least
a
portion
of
the
call
and
over
300
questions
were
asked.
Peter
also
hosted
a
Facebook
Q&A
and
a
“Congress
In
Your
Community”
event
in
Burlington
on
the
same
topic.
Didn’t
get
a
chance
to
talk
to
Peter
at
one
of
these
events?
Be
sure
to
follow
Peter’s
Facebook
page
for
updates
on
what’s
coming
next!
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| Peter
listens
to
Vermonters
during
his
“Congress
in
Your
Community
Event”
at
the
Fletcher
Free
Library
in
Burlington. |
Congress
Passes
Bill
with
Much-Needed
Funding
for
States
Battling
the
Opioid
Epidemic
Earlier
this
month,
Congress
approved
bipartisan
legislation
that
will
provide
long
overdue
funding
for
states
and
communities
battling
the
opioid
epidemic
that
is
devastating
families
in
Vermont
and
across
the
country.
The
21st
Century
Cures
Act,
which
was
signed
into
law
on
December
13,
was
developed
by
Peter
and
his
colleagues
on
the
House
Energy
and
Commerce
Committee.
It
will
provide
$1
billion
in
grants
to
states,
localities,
and
service
organizations
working
on
the
front
lines
of
the
epidemic
as
well
as
boost
funding
for
NIH
and
cancer
research.
Read
more
here.
Vermont
Air
National
Guard
Deploys
On
November
22nd
it
was
announced
that
the
Vermont
Air
National
Guard
would
deploy
a
few
hundred
troops
to
a
location
in
Southwest
Asia
in
support
of
Operation
Inherent
Resolve.
“The
brave
men
and
women
of
the
Vermont
Air
National
Guard
have
my
full
support
for
a
successful
mission
and
a
safe
and
speedy
return
home,”
Peter
said
at
the
time.
“This
is
a
particularly
tough
time
of
year
for
Guard
members
to
leave
their
families,
jobs
and
communities.
As
we
have
in
the
past,
I
know
that
all
Vermonters
will
join
together
to
support
those
being
deployed
as
well
as
the
families
they
leave
behind.
The
Vermont
Air
Guard
truly
represents
the
best
of
Vermont.
I
am
humbled
by
their
service
and
thankful
for
their
sacrifice.”
Read
more
about
the
Guard’s
deployment
here.
Help
a
Vermonter
in
Need
This
Holiday
Season
Peter
visited
the
Vermont
Foodbank
at
the
end
of
November
to
distribute
Thanksgiving
meals
and
spread
the
word
out
about
how
Vermonters
can
lend
a
hand
to
neighbors
in
need
this
holiday
season.
Check
out
the
Vermont
Foodbank’s
website
for
information
on
how
you
can
help.
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| Vermont
Foodbank’s
Barre
warehouse
was
bustling
ahead
of
Thanksgiving
as
Peter
and
volunteers
packed
up
meals
for
distribution
to
Vermonters
in
need. |
Peter’s
Outdoor
Recreation
Legislation
Signed
into
Law
Vermont’s
outdoor
recreation
opportunities
are
world-renowned.
People
come
to
the
Green
Mountain
State
from
all
over
to
experience
hiking,
hunting,
skiing,
fishing,
biking
and
a
host
of
other
outdoor
activities.
And
our
love
of
the
outdoors
is
a
big
part
of
who
we
are
as
Vermonters.
Outdoor
recreation
activities
also
create
jobs
and
generate
revenue
for
the
state
budget.
President
Obama
recently
signed
into
law
Peter’s
legislation
that
mandates
a
comprehensive
federal
study
of
the
economic
benefits
of
outdoor
recreation
to
Vermont
and
the
nation.
The
results
of
the
study
will
help
guide
public
policy
decisions
and
hopefully
lead
to
further
growth
in
the
outdoor
recreation
economy.
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